<\/p>\n
Fans make their way to the Dallas Stadium ahead of the match between Netherlands and Japan, on Sunday, June 14, 2026 in Arlington.<\/p>\n
Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
ARLINGTON \u2014 The world has arrived in Dallas-Fort Worth. And many of the visitors came clad in ponchos.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Fans of Japan and the Netherlands were distinguishable in Arlington on Sunday morning by their respective deep blue and bright orange kits. But the most eager supporters who were on site by 9 a.m. for the metro area\u2019s first World Cup match of the summer were united by the clear plastic coverings they donned as shields from the worst of the mid-morning downpour<\/a>.<\/p>\n The spectator presence at Dallas Stadium \u2014 renamed from AT&T Stadium for the soccer takeover this summer \u2014 was still relatively light at that point. Kickoff wasn\u2019t set for another six hours, and the rain was an effective deterrent.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n But stadium workers, FIFA employees and first responders were still buzzing around its periphery, setting up for the first of what some organizers see as \u201cnine Super Bowls<\/a>\u201d coming to Arlington this summer.<\/p>\n Dallas Stadium is hosting more matches than any other North American venue. Sunday\u2019s meeting between Japan and the Netherlands serves as a testing ground for the venue and the host city\u2019s ability to accommodate the influx of fans over the coming weeks.<\/p>\n Despite logistical snafus that unfolded in the weeks ahead of the match \u2014 most notably FIFA\u2019s disastrous ticketing rollout<\/a> that resulted in an investigation by the state of Texas<\/a> \u2014 fans reported a relatively smooth experience leading up to kickoff on Sunday. A coordinated team of event staff bolstered by years of preparations<\/a> deserves much of the credit.<\/p>\n Japan fans stand outside of the Dallas Stadium ahead of their side\u2019s game against Netherland, on Sunday, June 14, 2026 in Arlington.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Although the official count of security staff is not publicly disclosed for \u201csafety and tactical reason,\u201d Arlington Police Department media relations coordinator Tim Ciesco said the number is \u201cdefinitely more than what would be there for a typical Cowboys game or concert.\u201d Police officers from over 30 nearby departments were present to help staff the game, helping lighten Arlington\u2019s load as it balances the World Cup demand with its commitment to the rest of the city.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the things that we\u2019re really blessed and good at here in North Texas is regional cooperation,\u201d Ciesco said. \u201cWe\u2019re very used to working across jurisdictions because it\u2019s never just one city hosting everything.\u201d<\/p>\n He said Arlington officials began their planning in earnest four years ago, when it was announced that AT&T Stadium would host some of this year\u2019s matches. They sent members of the management unit to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to meet with FIFA officials and get a sense of what the logistical process looks like, then \u201cramped up\u201d preparations two years ago, Ciesco said.<\/p>\n Firefighters, police officers and EMTs were also out in the rain Sunday, taking their positions across the stadium campus to offer directions and security support.<\/p>\n Fans wait in line to enter the Dallas Stadium ahead of the a FIFA World Cup game between the Netherlands and Japan, on Sunday, June 14, 2026 in Arlington.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Keyanna Kelly, a parking attendant who has worked at the stadium for two years, was already on site nearly 12 hours before the 3 p.m. kickoff. At 9 a.m., she sported an orange reflector vest under her poncho as she sat in a golf cart outside the south entrance to assist FIFA employees filing inside. They would soon begin their own shifts selling merchandise and directing fans, though most would do it under the protection of the dome.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Among the sparse early arrivals on the spectator side was a group of five fans dressed in blue, who were aged 19 and 20 and gathered outside a tent on the east side. They had traveled from Japan for the game and arrived early to check out the venue \u2014 and secure some limited edition FIFA merchandise.<\/p>\n By 11 a.m., the rain diminished, and it was fans that were pouring onto the scene.<\/p>\n A sea of blue and orange flooded the sidewalks on all sides of the arena, ushered toward the stadium by a coordinated team of crossing guards. The scene was punctuated occasionally by the staccato bleat of toy horns blown by vendors who had set up shop all down the surrounding streets to sell water bottles, noisemakers and other merchandise.<\/p>\n Entry lines moved steadily throughout the morning and early afternoon, and lingering cloud cover offered attendees some relief from the fearsome Texas heat. As queues slowed around 1 p.m., though, fans grew toasty under the near-90-degree sun.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n